September is when you start to feel autumn little by little through changes in nature and the weather.
Many teachers at nurseries and kindergartens may be thinking about enjoying autumn-specific activities with children that feel a bit different from summer.
So this time, we’re introducing activity ideas recommended for September.
We’ve gathered a wide range of ideas, including craft activities featuring autumn nature and motifs, songs, finger plays, picture books, and indoor games!
We’re also introducing activities related to the moon-viewing festival and Respect for the Aged Day, so find activities that suit your setting and incorporate them into your September childcare.
Enjoy the season of autumn together with the children as you experience it.
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- In October childcare, kids will be captivated! A collection of play ideas to fully enjoy autumn
- Get kids excited in November! A collection of play and craft ideas using autumn’s natural treasures
- Perfect origami ideas for September! A special feature on motifs you’ll want to include in early childhood education
- Recommended for 5-year-olds’ September crafts! A collection of ideas to enjoy autumn
- Fun in September! Exciting Preschool Quiz Collection
- September crafts for 2-year-olds! A collection of make-and-play ideas to enjoy autumn
- [For 3-year-olds] Perfect for September! A Collection of Craft Ideas to Enjoy Autumn Nature
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A roundup of activities you can use in childcare in September: autumn-themed crafts, fingerplays, and more (1–10)
Moon-viewing fun!
It’s one of the five seasonal festivals, but these days people don’t really celebrate with the festival in mind anymore, do they? For children around kindergarten senior age, how about making dango and little bunnies out of paper clay together? In mythology, rabbits are said to live on the moon, so I think playing with paper clay while talking about that would be a lot of fun.
Experiencing “mochi pounding,” which the rabbit is said to do on the moon, would also make a great memory.
You can pound away—thump, thump—using a mallet made from cardboard on bags shaped to look like mochi.
It sounds like it would make for a delightful autumn event!
Let’s make dragonfly glasses
Did you know that “dragonfly” alone is a summer season word, but “red dragonfly” is an autumn season word? Let’s make seasonal “dragonfly glasses” and peek into a colorful world! They’re easy to make: craft glasses out of construction paper and simply attach colorful cellophane to the lens area.
To finish, add a dragonfly’s body and wings to the glasses.
After you’re done, trade with each other and enjoy the colorful views.
It’s suitable for children in lower elementary grades and up.
Just make sure an adult helps with cutting out the lens area using a utility knife.
Autumn trees with a stamp
An autumn tree painted with a handmade tampo is a craft that lets children enjoy paint in a different way than usual.
The tampo itself is easy to make—even for small children—by simply attaching cotton and gauze to a small container like a plastic bottle.
The unique patterns and soft hues created by the cotton and gauze will spark children’s imaginations and keep them absorbed in the activity.
It’s a great idea for an autumn craft—simple and satisfying, since all you do is press it onto the paper.
Hand play “Jūgoya-san no Mochitsuki”
Speaking of the September harvest moon (Jugoya), it’s famous for looking like a rabbit pounding mochi on the moon.
Here’s a perfect hand game for Jugoya with a mochi-pounding theme.
Pair up: one person claps steadily up and down, while the other adds interjections on the off-beats.
It’s like playing the role of the catcher during mochi pounding.
Speeding up the tempo makes it more challenging and even more fun.
It also works well as a rhythm-training activity for children.
Play song ‘Perfectly Round Moon’
September is known as the time when the moon looks most beautiful.
Since long ago, people have looked at the moon’s craters and imagined all sorts of things—like a rabbit pounding mochi or a crab raising its claws.
This is a play song that turns those imaginings into fun.
It’s an activity even very young children—who may not yet understand what the moon is—can enjoy.
By singing it to them, parents can help their children become aware of the moon; when they do, they might observe it while wondering, “I wonder if there’s a rabbit up there.”
Hand Play in September
How about trying some handplay songs that are perfect for September? There are plenty of songs to enjoy this month, like “Tonbo no Megane,” which is about dragonflies you often see outside around September, and “Dango Dango Kuttsuita,” which fits perfectly with moon-viewing season.
Each one involves movements and hand shapes that match the lyrics, so even if it’s your first time, you can learn them quickly.
As you sing and play, imagine what September and autumn are like, and have fun!
Moon-viewing craft
Let’s create a craft themed around moon viewing (Otsukimi).
Prepare dark blue construction paper to represent a night sky with the moon.
Arrange pictures of the moon, rabbits, and moon-viewing rice dumplings (dango) on it.
You can draw each element, or you can make them with origami and glue them on—both are great options.
For the dango, you can also line up small balls made from crumpled tissue paper.
For the moon, try a collage style using torn pieces of origami or tissue paper, or make a stylish moon by cutting a circle from construction paper and adding color with marbling techniques.
Adjust the methods and techniques to suit the children’s ages.